Method and apparatus for cutting and wrapping butter



@c @9 E934@ F. c. GOODWIN Lg@ METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING ANDWRAPPING BUTTER Original Filed July 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor:

Oct. 9, 1934. F. c. GOODWIN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING ANDWRAPPING BUTTER Y 2 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed Julyy 24, 1928 FIG, i,

U [HMM my. mw

45 booooooo Patented Oct. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES METHOD AND APPARATUS FORCUTTING AND WRAPPING BUTTER Frederick C. Goodwin, Los Angeles, Calif.

Substitute for application Serial No. 295,009, July 24, 1928. Thisapplication April 30, 1934, Serial 7 Claims,

My invention relates to the method and apparatus for cutting andwrapping butter and the like, and particularly relates to cutting andwrapping butter in pieces suitable for serving in in- 6 dividualportions.

The object of my invention is to provide a method of cutting the butterinto small portions and separating the portions by inserting folds ofpaper between the same; a further object is to provide a wrapper for theblock of butter, which latter is out into individual portions and thewrapper is so formed that folds of the wrapper will separate theportions while the shape of the block of butter is retained by thewrapper; a still further object is to provide a wrapper for Yseparatingthe portions of butter by a continuous strip of paper havngfoldspositioned between the portions whereby the strip of paper may beextended by pulling upon the 26 ends thereof when it is desired toseparate the portions of butter; and a still further object is toprovide a suitable apparatus for carrying out my novel method of cuttingand wrapping butter, which will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed. y

Referring to the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of one formof apparatus adapted for carrying out my invention; Fig. 2 is a verticalsection on line 2-2 Fig. 1;v Fig. 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 2; Fig.4 is an enlarged plan view of oneV portion of the apparatus, shown inFig. 1, illustrating another step in my novel method of wrapping butter;Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a block of butter cut into individualportions and encased in. my novel form of wrapper; Fig. 6 is a plan Viewof a wrapper formed of two strips of paper for encasing the individualportions of butter; and Fig. 7 is a still further modiication of myinvention in which the folds of the strips of paper extend to the centerline of block of butter instead of entirely through the block.

In the drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts 1represents an apparatus for carrying out my invention and comprises abed plate 3 on which is secured a guide 2 formed by plates 4 and 4'between which a block of butter 6 is adapted to be advanced by a movabletray 8, having a handle 9 for moving the tray. A push plate 10 issecured to the tray and is adapted for moving the block of butterbetween the guides 4 and 4. Said guides 4 and 4' are in alignir^nt withguides 12 and 13 and have transverse vertical spaces or openings formedbetween the sections of the guides for the passage of the knives 18 and20 located upon opposite sides of the guides and slidably mounted inbearings 21 and 22 secured upon the bed plate 3.

Blades 23 and 24 for folding the paper 25 are 00 mounted in verticalbearings 26 and 27, extending parallel with the guides 4 and 4 and atright angles to the cutting knives 18 and 20. The bearings 26 and 27Yfor the folding blades 23 and 24 are provided with adjustablestop-screws 30, @5 against which the stop-plates 31 on the blades strikefor limiting the movement of the latter. The bearings 21 and 22 for thecutting knives 18 and 20 are also provided with stop-screws 32 whichengage stop-plates 33 mounted upon the 70 knives and are adapted forlimiting the distance the knives may enter the block of butter 6.Springs 35 and 36 having one end secured to the bearings 26 and 27 andthe opposite end secured to the blades 23 and 24 respectively, are pro-75 vided for withdrawing the blades into a normal position, in which theblade 24 is shown in Fig.

1. Similar springs 37 and 38 are provided for withdrawing the cuttingknives 18 and 20 to the normal position, shown in Fig. 1. Upon the 30guides 12 and 13 are provided pockets 40 and 41 to receive the ends ofthe folding blades 23 and 24 when they are advanced, to the positionwhich the blade 23 occupies in Fig. 1.

The tray 8 is provided with aseries of holes 45 S5 extending lengthwisethereof, and the guide 2, formed by the plate 4 and 4 is provided with apin 46, shown in Figs. l and 2, which pin is adapted to enter the holes45 in the tray and hold the tray from moving when the cutting knives arebeing inserted in the butter. The tray 8 may be lifted by means of thehandle 9 sufficiently to Withdraw the pin 46. from the holes 45 andallow the tray to be advanced step by step according to the distancebetween said holes, thus ensuring a uniform size of all the individualportions 7 when cut.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is a double machine adapted for using twostrips of paper 5, or it may be operated by using only one strip ofpaper, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

For the purpose of illustrating one form of wrapping butter, only thelower portion of the machine shown in Fig. l will be included in thefollowing description of the method for forming the wrapper shown inFig. 5. A strip of paper 5 is inserted into the verticalV opening, orslot 15, formed between the two sections 4 and 12 of the guides. A blockof butter 6 is placed in the guide 2 in front of the plate 10 and thetray advanced 110 I to a point where it is desired to have the knife 1'8enter the butter and cut the block transversely to form an individualportion '7. 'I'he folding blade 23 is now advanced into the positionshown in Fig. l, so that the blade 23 will force the paper into thepocketO, thus providing sufficient slack in the strip of paper to allowthe cutting knife 18 to be advanced into the butter carrying the stripof paper simultaneously with the knife. The cutting knife 18 is advancedthe full width of the block of butter, then the knife is withdrawnleaving the folded paper positioned between the block 6 and the portion'7.

The tray 8 is again advanced to a position for the cutting knife to makethe second insertion into the block of butter. These operations arerepeated until the entire block of butter is cut into individualportions, thus forming the wrapped package, illustrated in Fig. 5.

The wrapper, as illustrated in Fig. 5, consists of the strip of paper 5which is formed with the sections 5a and 5b folded upon themselves andpositioned between the portions '7 of the butter, thus separating thelatter by two thicknesses of paper. The strip 5 is about the width ofone side of the block of butter and thus covers one side of the block ofbutter after it is cut into the portions 'l. A single thickness 5c ofthe strip 5 extends over the extreme end portions of the block andprojects beyond the same a sucient distance to permit the ends of thestrip to be readily grasped between the fingers and pulled lengthwise tostraighten out the strip, so that all the separate portions rI of butterwill be distributed and lie fiat upon the strip of paper throughout thelength of the latter, from which the portions may be readily removed forserving.

Fig. 6 illustrates a wrapper in which two sheets of paper and 56 areused. Said strips are nserted or applied to the block of butter by theentire apparatus shown in Fig. 1. One strip of paper being located onone side of the block of .butter and the other strip located upon theopposite side thereof. By operating the cutting knives 18 and 20alternately, as the tray 8 is advanced, and also operating the foldingblades 23 and 24 to provide said strips with sulcient slack to form thefolds 55a and 56h, the block of butter will be cut into individualportions with the folded portions 55a and 56h, of the two strips ofpaper, inserted between alternah portions of the butter.

Fig. 'l 'illustrates a form of wrapper in which two strips of paper 60and 61 are used and the folds 60a and 61h are extended only to thecenter line of the block of butter. The wrapper shown in Fig. I may bereadily formed upon the apparatus by adjusting the stop screws 30 tosuitable positions which limit the movement of the folding blades 23 and24 so that when said blades are operated the stripsof paper will befolded into the pockets only ya sumcient distance to form enough slackin the paper to provide for the insertion of the cutting knives 18 and20 as far as the center line of the block of butter. Incarrying out thisform of my invention the knives 18 and 20 are operated simultaneouslyuntil their forward edges meet the center of the block of butter. Whenthe knives are withdrawn the tray is advanced to the next adjacent holesin the tray when both cutting blades are again inserted into the buttercarrying the folds of paper into the butter. These operations Aarerepeated throughout the length of the block of butter.

In al1 the forms of my invention illustrated in Figs. 5 to I the stripof paper forming. the wrapper is of the width equal to the width of ablock of butter and is intended only to cover one edge and the sides ofthe individual portions. When two strips of paper are used as shown inFigs. 6 and 7 the opposite edges of the butter are covered by the paper.To' remove the cut portions of butter from the paper it is merelynecessary to pull the ends of the paper to straighten out the folds andthe pieces of butter will arrange themselves in spaced relation to eachother throughout the length of the strip, from which they may be rapidlyremoved when it is desired to serve said portion of butter.

Various changes may be made in the Wrapper and in the apparatus forapplying the wrapper, other than those shown in the drawings withoutdeparting from my invention.

This is a reled application, and is substituted for my abandonedapplication No. 295,009 which was filed July 24, 1928.

1. The method of wrapping butter, comprising placing strips of paperupon opposite sides of a block of butter advancing said block thethickness of an individual portion to be cut off the block, formingfolds in said strips, advancing knives from opposite sides of said blockagainst said strips forcing the latter into the block, and withdrawingthe knives leaving folds of paper between the cut portions of the block.

2. An apparatus for cutting and wrapping material such as butter,comprising a guide to receive a block of said material, said guidehaving an opening formed in the side wall thereof to receive a strip offlexible wrapping material having its forward end applied to the forwardend of said block and movable with the block through said guide, a bladeslidably mounted adjacent to the guide for forming a fold in said strip,and a cutting member operatively associated with said block adapted toforce said fold into the butter.

3. An apparatus for cutting and wrapping material such as butter,comprising a guide to receive a block of said material, said guidehaving an opening in the side wall thereof to receive one end of acontinuous strip of exible wrapping material, said strip applied to theforward end of said block and movable with the block in the guide, acutting member operatively associated with said guide adapted to entersaid opening formed in the guide and enter said block transversely, ablade movably mounted adjacent to said guide adapted to form slack insaid strip between the cutting member and said block, means forwithdrawing said blade to permit the cutting member to force the slackportion of said strip into said block, and means for withdrawing saidcutting member leaving a folded portion of the strip in said block.

4. An apparatus for cutting and wrapping material such as butter,comprising a guide to receive a block of said material, said guidehaving transverse openings formed in opposite sides thereof to receivestrips of flexible wrapping material, cutting members operativelyassociated with said guide adapted to'enter said openingsA from.opposite sides of the guide for cutting said block transversely, bladesmovably mounted adiacent to saidv guide foi-'forming folds in saidlstrips between the cutting members and said l,portion of the stripforcing the` latter into the g relatively te the movement of saidcutting member.

5. An apparatus for cutting and wrapping material such as butter,comprising a guide to receive a block of said material, said guidehaving transverse openings formed in opposite sides terial, cuttingmembers operatively associated with said guide adapted to enter saidopenings 30 from opposite sides of the guide for cutting said blocktransversely, blades movably mounted adjacent to said guide for meansfor forming* folds A in said strips between the cutting members and saidblock, whereby the forward movement of the 35 cutting members into saidblock will carry the folded portions of said strips into the block,stops operatively associatedwith ,said cutting members .for limiting thedistance said cutting members may enter the block, and means foradvancing 'said block intermittentiy relatively to the movements of saidcutting members.

6. The method of wrapping material compris- I ing placing strips ofpaper upon opposite sides oi a block of material, forming a fold in oneof said strips, advancing a mie against the folded block, withdrawingthe knife leaving the folds of the paper betweenthe cut portions of theblock, advancing said block the thickness of an individual portion to becut off the block, forming .a fold in the opposite one of said strips,adthereof to receive strips of exible Wrapping mavancing a knife againstthe last mentioned -folded portion forcing the latter into the blockfrom the opposite side of the latter from the iirst mentioned strip,withdrawing the last mentioned knife, and leaving the folds of saidstrips between the alternate cut portions of the block.

7. The method of wrapping material, comprising placing strips of paperupon opposite sides of a block of material, advancing said block thethickness of an individual portion to be cut off the block, formingfolds in said strips, advancing knives from opposite sides of said blockagainst said strips forcing the latter into the block to a pointadjacent to the center of the block, and withdrawing the knives leavingfolds of paper between the cut portions of the block with the .foldsterminating adjacent to the center of the block.

FREDERICK C. GOODWIN.

